


they're tragedies, for sure

by ever_neutral



Category: Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-11
Updated: 2011-04-11
Packaged: 2017-10-17 22:29:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/181969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ever_neutral/pseuds/ever_neutral
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inch by inch, the supposedly solid foundations of his world are crumbling beneath his feet. And now he finds himself bonding with Caroline fucking Forbes.</p><p>[S2]</p>
            </blockquote>





	they're tragedies, for sure

Caroline isn’t Tyler’s first friend. He’s had plenty of those.

Well, he’s had plenty of “friends”.

He supposes he’s never really been bothered to make the distinction.

And no, he doesn’t really know how he’s supposed to go about sorting out the flowers from the weeds, or whatever the cliché is.

(He’s pretty sure he belongs in the latter pile himself.)

But now that he’s had the worst possible fate thrust upon him, he figures it’s as good a time as any to sit up and smell the roses.

\--

He has no idea how this started, being friends with Caroline Forbes -- when exactly she came into his life. Probably because she’d always been there.

It just took having his life ruined to figure it out.

Then again, he’s always been late on the uptake. Didn’t feel remorse for Vicki ‘til she was dead. (And then not enough.) Didn’t come to grips with hating his dad ‘til he was buried. (Still hasn’t come to grips with it.) Didn’t recognize how much he needed Mason ‘til he pissed off to God knows where.

Inch by inch, the supposedly solid foundations of his world are crumbling beneath his feet.

And now he finds himself bonding with Caroline fucking Forbes.

“Why do you _care_?”

He’s sincerely curious. He hasn’t done anything to attract her caring.

Well, apart from turning into a monster. (Which he supposes deep down he’s always known would happen.)

“I just think you need someone right now.”

The idea that this is reason enough makes his head spin.

\--

And then it’s really happening. And there’s nothing he can do to stop it, and his bones are splitting apart, and he’s crying, _it hurts_ , and it’s going to kill him -- except that would be too kind, this pain is his to bear.

He wishes she would just leave him.

He knows that when she finally does, the pain will be more than he can stand.

\--

They’re walking through the woods. Just taking a walk, like friends do.

She has a funny expression as she strolls beside him, like she’s enjoying some joke she alone is privy to.

Her eyes sparkle when she smiles.

Those eyes suddenly meet his, and he realizes that he’s been staring at her.

“What?” She laughs a little, typically self-conscious. “Do I have something in my teeth?”

He can’t resist rolling his eyes. “No.”

“Then… What is it? Was I being weird? You can tell me the truth!”

“No. Caroline – “ He pauses, meets her eyes again. “There’s nothing wrong with you.”

She frowns, disbelievingly. “Are you sure?”

He grins a little bit, and nods. “Pretty sure, yeah.”


End file.
